Didn't mean to start a debate on why the Wrights succeeded.[&:]

Thier engine as mentioned had best power to weight of anything of the time.

The use of the reduction drive to thier VERY efficient propellers was a tremendous aid to thier power conversion into THRUST. (long slow turning propellors are VERY efficient) Again... a power to weight innovation that was crucial to thier success.

Even with thier wonderful engine and reduction drive (and counter-rotating propellers... which aided stability[8D]) They needed a Catapault launch into a certain minimum headwind to achieve flying speed... and that first engine didn't have the power to KEEP the plane in the air long. (they still had more drag than thrust...)

Thier wing design... well... I'd hate to see the way that wing would flutter if you put more power on it. Its a KITE wing. (thats what you get when you use kites instead of a wind tunnel for testing.)

A marvelous achievement... because they did manage to put everything together. (and because they realized that the thrust of the engine wasn't enough is why they built the catapault in the first place...)